The Harleian Miscellany: A Collection of Scarce, Curious, and ..., Volume 6

inward or outward, as one is to enter, or to go out, or to open in half. „

75. How a tape, or ribbon weaver may set down a whole discourse, without knowing a letter, or interweaving any thing suspicious of other secret than a new-fashion ribbon.

76. How to write in the dark, as straight as by day or candlelight. . '". .

77. How to make a man to fly; which I have tried with a little boy of ten years old in a barn, from one end to the other, on an hay-mow.

78. A watch to go constantly, and yet needs no other winding from the tirst setting on the cord or chain, unless it be broken, requiring no other care from one than to be now and then consulted with, concerning the hour of the day or night; and if it be laid by a week together, it will not err much, but theoftener looked upon, the more exact it shews the time of the day or night.

79. A way to lock all the boxes of a cabinet, though never so many, at one time, which were by particular keys appropriated to each lock opened severally, and independent the one of the other, as much as concerned the opening of them, and by these means cannot be left opened unawares.

80. How to make a pistol barrel no thicker than a shilling, and yet able to endure a musquet proof of powder and bullet.

81. A comb-conveyance, carrying of letters without suspicion, the head being opened with a needle-scrue drawing a spring towards them; the comb being made but after an usual form carried in one's pocket.

82. A knife, spoon, or fork, in an usual portable case, may have tha like conveyances in their handles.

83. A rasping-mill for harts-horn, whereby a child may do the work of half a dozen men, commonly taken up with that work.

84. An instrument whereby persons, ignorant in arithmetick, may perfectly observe numerations and subtractions of all suras and fractions.

85. A little ball made in the shape of plum or pear, being dexterously convcighed or forced into a body's mouth, shall presently shoot forth such, and so many bolts of each side, and at both ends, as without the owner's key can neither be opened nor filed off, being made of tempered steel, and as effectually locked as an iron chest.

86. A chair made alamode, and yet a stranger, being persuaded to sit in it, shall have immediately his arms and thighs locked up, beyond his own power to loosen them.

87. A brass mould to cast candles, in which a man may make fivehundred dozen in a day, and add an ingredient to the tallow which will make it cheaper, and yet so that the candles shall look whiter, and last longer.

88; How to make a brazen or stone head, in the midst of a great field or garden, so artificial and natural, that though a man speak never so softly, and even whispers into the ear thereof, it will presently open its mouth, and resolve the question in French, Latin, Welsh, Irish, or English, in good terms uttering it out of its mouth, and then shut it until the next question be asked.

89. White silk knotted in the fingers of a pair of white gloves, and so contrived without suspicion, that playing at Primero at cards, one may without clogging his memory keep reckoning of all sixes, sevens, and aces which he hath discarded.

90. A most dexterous dicing-box, with holes transparent, after the usual fashion, with a device so dexterous, that with a knock of it against the table, the four good dice are fastened, and it looseneth four false dice made fit for his purpose.

91. An artificial horse, with saddle and caparisons fit for running at the ring, on which a man being mounted, with his lance in his hand, he can at pleasure make him start, and swiftly to run his career, using the decent posture with bon grace; may take the ring as handsomely, and running as swiftly as if he rode upon a barb.

92. A scrue made like a water-scrue, but the bottom made of ironplate spade-wise, which at thesideofaboatemptieth the mud of a pond, or raiseth gravel.

93. An engine, whereby one man may take out of the water a ship of five-hundred tons, so that it may be calked, trimmed, and repaired without need of the usual way of stocks, and as easily let it down again. .

94. A little engine portable in one's pocket, which placed to any door, without any noise, but one crack, openeth any door or gate.

95. A double cross-bow, neat, handsome, and strong, to shoot two arrows, either together, or one after the other, so immediately that a deer cannot run two steps, but, if he miss of one arrow, he may be reached with the other, whether the deer run forward, sideway, or start backward.

96. A way to make a sea-bank so firm and geometrically strong, that a stream can have no power over it; excellent likewise to save the pillar of abridge, being far cheaper and stronger than stone-walls.

97. An instrument whereby an ignorant person may take any thing in perspective, as justly and more than theskilfullest painter can do by his eye.

98. An engine so contrived, that working the primum mobile forward or backward, upward or downward, circularly or cornerwise, to and fro, straight, upright, or downright, yet the pretended operation continued, and advanceth, none of the motions above-mentioned hindering, much less stopping the other; bnt unanimously, and with harmony agreeing, they all augment and contribute strength unto the intended work and operation. And therefore I call this'a semi-omnipotent engine,' and do intend that a model thereof be buried with me.

99- How to make one pound weight to raise an hundred as high as one pound falleth, and yet the hundred pound descending doth what nothing less than one-hundred pound can effect.

100. Upon so potent a help as these two last mentioned inventions, a water-work is by many years experience and labour so advantageously by me contrived, that a child's force bringeth up an hundred feet high an incredible quantity of water, even two feet diameter, so naturally, that the work will not be heard even unto the next room; and with so great ease and geometrical symmetry, that though it works day and
fiight from one end of the year to the other, it will not require forty shillings reparation to the whole engine, nor hinder one day's-work. And I may boldly call it, 'The most stupondiolis work in the whole world;' not only with little charge to drain all sorts of mines, and furnish cities with water, though never so high seated, as well to keep them sweet, running through several streets, and so performing the work of scavengers, as well as furnishing the inhabitants with sufficient water for their private occasions; but likewise supplying rivers with sufficient to maintain and make them portable from town to town, and for the bettering of lands all the way it runs; with many more advantageous, and yet greater effects of profit, admiration, and consequence. So that deservedly I deem this invention to crown my labours, to reward my expences, and make my thoughts acquiesce in way of further inventions. This making up the whole century, and preventing any further trouble to the reader for the present, meaning to leave to posterity a book, wherein under each of these heads the means to put in execution and visible trial and every of these inventions, with the shape and form of all things belonging to them, shall be printed by brass-plates.

In bonum publicum, et ad majorem Dei gloriam.

THE

PROTECTOR'S DECLARATION

AGAINST

THE ROYAL FAMILY OF THE STUARTS,

And the true worship of the church of England. Printed and published by his Highness's special commandment.

London, printed by Henry Hills and John Field, printers to his Highness. From a folio page.

HIS Highness the Lord Protector, upon advice with his council, finding it necessary, for the reasons and upon the grounds expressed in his late declaration, to use all good means to secure the peace of the nation, and prevent future troubles within the same, hath thought fit to publish and declare, and by and with the consent of his council, doth publish, order, and declare, That no person or persons whatsoever, in England or Wales, whose estates have been sequestered for delinquency, or who were actually in arms for the late King against the then parliament, or for Charles Stuart his son, or have adhered to, abetted, or assisted the forces raised against the said parliament, do, from and after the first day of December, 1655, buy, use, or keep in his or their house, or hunses, or elsewhere, any arms offensive, or defensive, upon pain, that every person and persons, so offending, shall forfeit and lose such arms, and be otherwise proceeded against, according to the orders of his highness and the council, for securing the peace of the commonwealth. And his highness, by the advice of his council, doth also publish, declare, and order, That no person or persons aforesaid, do, from and after the first day of January, lo"55, keep in their houses and families, as chaplains or schoolmasters, for the education of their children, any sequestered or ejected minister, fellow of any college, or schoolmaster, nor permit any of their children to be taught by such, upon pain of being proceeded against in such sort, as the said orders do direct in such cases. And that no person, who hath been sequestered or ejected out of any benefice, college, or school, for delinquency or scandal, shall, from and after the first day of January, keep any school, either publick or private, nor any person, who after that time shall be ejected for the causes aforesaid.

And that no person, who, for delinquency or scandal, hath been sequestered or ejected, shall, from and after the first day of January aforesaid, preach in any publick place, or any private meeting of any other persons than those of his own family, nor shall administer baptism, or the Lord's Supper, or marry any persons, or use the Book of Common-Prayer, or the forms of prayer therein contained, upon pain, that every person, so offending in any of the premisses, shall be proceeded against, as, by the said orders, is provided and directed. And to the end all persons concerned may take notice hereof, and avoid the danger of any of the said penalties, his highness doth charge and command all sheriffs within their respective counties, cities, and towns, to cause this declaration to be proclaimed and published. Nevertheless, his highness doth declare, that, towards such of the said persons as have, since their ejection or sequestration, given, or shall hereafter give, a real testimony of their godliness and good affection to the present government, so much tenderness shall be used, as may consist with the safety and good of this nation.

Given at Whitehall, this fourth day of October, 1655.

THE MOST LAMENTABLE

AND DREADFUL THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

In the County of Norfolk, and the City of Norwich,

On July 20, being the Lord's day in the afternoon: the whirlwind and thick darkness, and most prodigious hailstones, which, being above five inches about, did so violently batter down the windows of the city, that three-thousand pounds will hardly repair them. Diverse men and women struck dead. The firing of some towns, and whole fields of corn, by lightning, which also destroyed the birds of the air, and beasts of the field.

Together with another most violent storm, which, happening on Saturday last in the same county, for almost thirty miles together, performed the like terrible effects. Attested by ten-thousand witnesses, who were either spectators, or partakers of the loss. Entered according to order, the 31st of July 1656.

London, printed by R. I. for F. Grove on Snow-hill, 1656. Quarto, containing five pages, with a wooden cut in the. title-page, representing Jupiter in the clouds, with a thunder-bolt in his right hand.

WE have had too many sad examples of the anger of the Almighty, for our great and crying sins. How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither for the iniquity of them that dwell therein? saith the prophet Jeremiah, ch. xii. 4. whilst we do sin, and sin, and persevere in sin; whilst we continue despising the ministers and ordinances of God*, whilst we will not weep for our own impieties. Behold, the earth is become as brass, and the clouds as marble; whilst, lulled in the lap of security, we wilfully do stop our ears, and refuse to hear the words of the preacher; heark! How God doth speak in thunder to us, and he speaks to us on his own day, to declare unto us how jealous he is of his honour, which he will not have given to another; he will not be served on his own day by those, whom he hath not called to his work; by those, who, with unwashed hands, and brains, as sick of ignorance, as presumption, will thrust themselves into the temple of God, and venture to expound the highest mysteriesf. Certainly where the ordinances of God have been most despised, there will his judgements be most visible; even the birds and the beasts

* Alluding to the state of rebellion in which the kingdom had then been almost sixteen years.

t In those days, the learned and stated ministry was deprived ; and every whimsical or hypocritical mecbanick assumed the doctor s chair; and, in defiance to the justice of God, who, for the like usurpation, visibly punished Core, Dathan, and Abiram, dared to administer God's word and sacraments to a deceived people.